Latest news with #DirtyDozen
Business Wire
8 hours ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Alliance for Food and Farming: 'Dirty Dozen' List Recommendations Cannot Be Substantiated
WATSONVILLE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Peer reviewed research published in the Journal of Toxicology found that the recommendation in the 'Dirty Dozen' list to substitute organic forms of produce for conventional does not result in any decrease in risk for consumers because residues on conventionally grown are so low, if present at all. The research also found that the list authors follow no scientifically established methodology in the development of their list. In fact, the 'Dirty Dozen' list authors admit that their list does not assess risk nor do they apply basic tenets of toxicology in the development of their list. From Environmental Working Group's (EWG) previous 'Dirty Dozen' report: 'The Shoppers Guide does not incorporate risk assessment into the calculations. All pesticides are weighted equally, and we do not factor in the levels deemed acceptable by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).' Further, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Pesticide Data Program (PDP) consistently finds that over 99% of foods sampled had residue levels well below EPA safety standards with 40% having no detectable residues at all. There is growing concern about the impact of inaccurate safety fears becoming a barrier to increased consumption of produce. One peer reviewed study found that when low income consumers were exposed to 'Dirty Dozen' list messaging, they stated they were less likely to purchase any produce – organic or conventional. In a report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), only one in 10 Americans consume enough fruits and vegetables each day, which is unchanged from previous survey levels announced almost a decade ago. The report states that those living below or close to the poverty level were the least likely to meet produce recommendations. From the CDC: 'Continued efforts to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by improving access and affordability in diverse community and institutional settings will help mitigate health disparities among U.S. residents. Additional policies and programs that will increase access to fruits and vegetables in places where U.S. residents live, learn, work, and play, might increase consumption and improve health.' 'Consumers can and should disregard these types of lists,' says Dr. Sylvia Klinger, DBA, MS, RD, founder of Hispanic and Multicultural Nutrition Communications who serves on the AFF's Management Board. 'Simply follow the advice of dietitians and health experts and choose to eat more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in the vitamins and antioxidants that help our bodies fight and prevent diseases, improve overall health and increase lifespan.' For consumers who are still concerned about residues, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that washing fruits and vegetables under running tap water often removes or eliminates any residues that may be present. (Never use soaps or detergents to wash produce.) Learn more about the safety of all produce at The Alliance for Food and Farming is a non-profit organization formed in 1989 which represents organic and conventional farmers. Alliance contributors are limited to farmers of fruits and vegetables, companies that sell, market or ship fruits and vegetables or organizations that represent produce farmers. Our mission is to deliver credible information about the safety of fruits and vegetables.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
I gave up artificial food dyes for a month. It was harder than I thought.
I'll be the first to admit that prior to this project, I did not give food dyes much thought. After all, I eat, shop and cook pretty healthily. I'm a lifelong vegetarian turned vaguely pescatarian, I shop organic whenever possible (at the very least for the Dirty Dozen), I frequent the farmer's market, and I actually enjoy eating all the weird types of plant-based protein. But I'm also a mom of two young kids, and therein, as I quickly learned when I began my first day of eliminating all artificial food dyes from my life, lies the rub. As I whirred my way through my fridge, pantry and medicine cabinet, I was alarmed by how many of my kids' go-tos — mostly treats, but also things like pickles and Tylenol — include synthetic additives like Red Dye No. 40 and Green Dye No. 3. What surprised me even more, though, was the flip side: There was a whole category of neon kid foods I had assumed I'd need to eliminate (mac and cheese, Goldfish crackers, etc.) that turned out to have no artificial food dyes at all thanks to naturally bright colorants like turmeric. Phew. Why try to avoid or eliminate synthetic food dyes in the first place? Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would ban the dye known as Red No. 3, which is petroleum-based and found in common foods like frosting, fruit cocktail and gummies. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently took it a step further, announcing that the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services will eliminate all petroleum-based artificial food dyes from foods sold in the U.S. The primary concern with these dyes is that consumption of them has been linked to behavioral problems in some children, according to analysis from the State of California. Then there's the issue that, while a dye like Red 40, for example, is not currently listed as a carcinogen itself, it does include benzene, which has been linked to increased cancer risk. Plus, these dyes are derived from petroleum. In an era of omnipresent and often ingested microplastics, did I really want to be feeding my kids this stuff? Of course not, I thought. But I wasn't sure how feasible it would be to swap them all out. Where to start? The Center for Science in the Public Interest shares a starter list of common foods that include synthetic dyes, so I stormed through my kitchen and bathroom in search of those and to read all the other labels I encountered. Then I set out for our local Kroger to find the necessary swaps and was only somewhat successful. Since dye-free alternatives weren't always readily available there, I also had to squeeze in a trip to the health food store. Then there are all the difficulties of sourcing dye-free in the wild, like at the gas station next to my son's taekwondo class, where he often grabs a Gatorade. Most notably, our dye-free month coincided with a family trip to North Carolina, and travel definitely put the difficulty of finding alternatives into perspective. It also meant passing up this pretty (but dye-enhanced) sea glass candy. Here are the main food dye culprits I discovered in my family's food rotation, and what I ended up replacing them with. In my research, I discovered that most of the major pickle companies, including Mt. Olive, do offer a dye-free version, but only the Vlasic one was available at my Kroger. I was interested in figuring out whether the dye-free versions would all be more expensive, as NPR's recent reporting seems to indicate, but it was impossible to find an exact dye-free/with-dye comparison within the same brand at the same store. Among Target's wide variety of Vlasic options, price variations are only a matter of cents. So the main reason to skip the swap seems to be if you really, really want your pickles to be neon. Surprise! Who knew my '90s favorite kid drink, Capri Sun, was actually dye-free? Whether we were headed to sports practice or the airport, juice-like drinks marketed to kids, from a rainbow of Gatorades to Sunny D (which includes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6), were items that kept popping up during this experiment. Luckily, my sons were not at all fazed by the (equally sugary, I'm sure) dye-free swap options. The Bubly Burst was a particular hit; it's colored with carrot juice concentrate and is compellingly bright pink. In this mom's opinion, Lily's gummies, colored with vegetable dyes, taste better. The downsides were price (Lily's gummies were $2.50 for one measly pouch at Kroger, whereas Welch's cost $6 for 22 pouches) and availability: Welch's fruit snacks are my kids' favorites to grab at the airport to help their ears pop during takeoff and landing. Sadly, the likes of Lily's have not expanded to the national airport market (yet!). Lily's gummy bears also softened the blow of having to ditch our stash of Blue 1-enhanced Airheads. We have been potty training my youngest, and M&Ms have been a hugely helpful tiny treat. My little one gets two M&Ms when he pees in the potty, three for a poop. I am not above a bribe that makes my life easier! He did not notice at ALL when I swapped his reward, and I'm now obsessed with these better-tasting (to me), off-brand, all-natural alternatives. They're colored using vegetables, and they even use real vanilla. But alas, this was a swap that required a trip to the natural foods store, and I couldn't find them at the airport. The spicy El Yucateca was a stealth culprit; I was surprised to see 'Yellow 5 and Blue 1' listed in the ingredients list. Why is it necessary to dye green peppers green? Luckily, Marie Sharp's variation made for a tasty, dye-free substitute. Ah, the problematic pièce de résistance of the food dye swap-out. My kids love grape Tylenol, but it's colored with Red 33 and Blue 1. When I got the dye-free kind and offered it to my son after a dental procedure, the prospect of sucking down non-purple medication elicited plenty of whines and a lot of pushback. Which led me to … I know I'm not alone as a conscientious yet kinda lazy parent. And while this swap-out experiment was, for the most part, straightforward, the somewhat difficult parts of it (travel, Tylenol) left me asking: How worried do I really have to be about these food dyes? Do I have to keep pushing dye-free Tylenol if the bright purple version makes my life easier? 'It's not a deal breaker at all,' Jamie Alan, an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Life. When it comes to synthetic food dyes, 'a small, limited dose will likely have no effects on the vast majority of children.' The primary risk to watch for, Alan explains, is the one found in the California report: the fact that 'some food dyes have been linked to neurobehavioral issues and hyperactivity.' But that's only in some kids, and as always it's important to make decisions based on your own individual child's health and behavior (and in tandem with your child's medical care providers) rather than based on what might work best for another child — or worse, what you read on some blog. Alan provides a few helpful suggestions for parents and other individuals who do want to reduce artificial food dyes in their kitchens, bathroom cabinets and lives overall. The first step? Actually reading what you're about to buy or consume. 'Checking the label is important,' Alan says. One smart hack is shopping imported (easier said than done during 2025 tariff days, we know), since 'many other countries have already banned some of these dyes," Alan notes. "Checking the aisles for imported products, like drinks and candies, might be useful." Overall, your best bet is to pay attention to both the ingredients your family consumes and your child's behavior — something we parents should probably be doing anyway, food dyes or no food dyes. But don't stress too much about it. 'Not all children are sensitive to these dyes,' Alan reiterates, 'but there are some children who are very sensitive to these dyes when consumed.' As for me, I'm 100% going to stick with the vast majority of the food swaps I stocked up on in my kitchen — all those treats and pickles taste just as good without the additives. But I'll likely go back to buying the purple Tylenol.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
I gave up artificial food dyes for a month. It was harder than I thought.
I'll be the first to admit that prior to this project, I did not give food dyes much thought. After all, I eat, shop and cook pretty healthily. I'm a lifelong vegetarian turned vaguely pescatarian, I shop organic whenever possible (at the very least for the Dirty Dozen), I frequent the farmer's market, and I actually enjoy eating all the weird types of plant-based protein. But I'm also a mom of two young kids, and therein, as I quickly learned when I began my first day of eliminating all artificial food dyes from my life, lies the rub. As I whirred my way through my fridge, pantry and medicine cabinet, I was alarmed by how many of my kids' go-tos — mostly treats, but also things like pickles and Tylenol — include synthetic additives like Red Dye No. 40 and Green Dye No. 3. What surprised me even more, though, was the flip side: There was a whole category of neon kid foods I had assumed I'd need to eliminate (mac and cheese, Goldfish crackers, etc.) that turned out to have no artificial food dyes at all thanks to naturally bright colorants like turmeric. Phew. Why try to avoid or eliminate synthetic food dyes in the first place? Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it would ban the dye known as Red No. 3, which is petroleum-based and found in common foods like frosting, fruit cocktail and gummies. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently took it a step further, announcing that the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services will eliminate all petroleum-based artificial food dyes from foods sold in the U.S. The primary concern with these dyes is that consumption of them has been linked to behavioral problems in some children, according to analysis from the State of California. Then there's the issue that, while a dye like Red 40, for example, is not currently listed as a carcinogen itself, it does include benzene, which has been linked to increased cancer risk. Plus, these dyes are derived from petroleum. In an era of omnipresent and often ingested microplastics, did I really want to be feeding my kids this stuff? Of course not, I thought. But I wasn't sure how feasible it would be to swap them all out. Where to start? The Center for Science in the Public Interest shares a starter list of common foods that include synthetic dyes, so I stormed through my kitchen and bathroom in search of those and to read all the other labels I encountered. Then I set out for our local Kroger to find the necessary swaps and was only somewhat successful. Since dye-free alternatives weren't always readily available there, I also had to squeeze in a trip to the health food store. Then there are all the difficulties of sourcing dye-free in the wild, like at the gas station next to my son's taekwondo class, where he often grabs a Gatorade. Most notably, our dye-free month coincided with a family trip to North Carolina, and travel definitely put the difficulty of finding alternatives into perspective. It also meant passing up this pretty (but dye-enhanced) sea glass candy. Here are the main food dye culprits I discovered in my family's food rotation, and what I ended up replacing them with. In my research, I discovered that most of the major pickle companies, including Mt. Olive, do offer a dye-free version, but only the Vlasic one was available at my Kroger. I was interested in figuring out whether the dye-free versions would all be more expensive, as NPR's recent reporting seems to indicate, but it was impossible to find an exact dye-free/with-dye comparison within the same brand at the same store. Among Target's wide variety of Vlasic options, price variations are only a matter of cents. So the main reason to skip the swap seems to be if you really, really want your pickles to be neon. Surprise! Who knew my '90s favorite kid drink, Capri Sun, was actually dye-free? Whether we were headed to sports practice or the airport, juice-like drinks marketed to kids, from a rainbow of Gatorades to Sunny D (which includes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6), were items that kept popping up during this experiment. Luckily, my sons were not at all fazed by the (equally sugary, I'm sure) dye-free swap options. The Bubly Burst was a particular hit; it's colored with carrot juice concentrate and is compellingly bright pink. In this mom's opinion, Lily's gummies, colored with vegetable dyes, taste better. The downsides were price (Lily's gummies were $2.50 for one measly pouch at Kroger, whereas Welch's cost $6 for 22 pouches) and availability: Welch's fruit snacks are my kids' favorites to grab at the airport to help their ears pop during takeoff and landing. Sadly, the likes of Lily's have not expanded to the national airport market (yet!). Lily's gummy bears also softened the blow of having to ditch our stash of Blue 1-enhanced Airheads. We have been potty training my youngest, and M&Ms have been a hugely helpful tiny treat. My little one gets two M&Ms when he pees in the potty, three for a poop. I am not above a bribe that makes my life easier! He did not notice at ALL when I swapped his reward, and I'm now obsessed with these better-tasting (to me), off-brand, all-natural alternatives. They're colored using vegetables, and they even use real vanilla. But alas, this was a swap that required a trip to the natural foods store, and I couldn't find them at the airport. The spicy El Yucateca was a stealth culprit; I was surprised to see 'Yellow 5 and Blue 1' listed in the ingredients list. Why is it necessary to dye green peppers green? Luckily, Marie Sharp's variation made for a tasty, dye-free substitute. Ah, the problematic pièce de résistance of the food dye swap-out. My kids love grape Tylenol, but it's colored with Red 33 and Blue 1. When I got the dye-free kind and offered it to my son after a dental procedure, the prospect of sucking down non-purple medication elicited plenty of whines and a lot of pushback. Which led me to … I know I'm not alone as a conscientious yet kinda lazy parent. And while this swap-out experiment was, for the most part, straightforward, the somewhat difficult parts of it (travel, Tylenol) left me asking: How worried do I really have to be about these food dyes? Do I have to keep pushing dye-free Tylenol if the bright purple version makes my life easier? 'It's not a deal breaker at all,' Jamie Alan, an associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at Michigan State University, tells Yahoo Life. When it comes to synthetic food dyes, 'a small, limited dose will likely have no effects on the vast majority of children.' The primary risk to watch for, Alan explains, is the one found in the California report: the fact that 'some food dyes have been linked to neurobehavioral issues and hyperactivity.' But that's only in some kids, and as always it's important to make decisions based on your own individual child's health and behavior (and in tandem with your child's medical care providers) rather than based on what might work best for another child — or worse, what you read on some blog. Alan provides a few helpful suggestions for parents and other individuals who do want to reduce artificial food dyes in their kitchens, bathroom cabinets and lives overall. The first step? Actually reading what you're about to buy or consume. 'Checking the label is important,' Alan says. One smart hack is shopping imported (easier said than done during 2025 tariff days, we know), since 'many other countries have already banned some of these dyes," Alan notes. "Checking the aisles for imported products, like drinks and candies, might be useful." Overall, your best bet is to pay attention to both the ingredients your family consumes and your child's behavior — something we parents should probably be doing anyway, food dyes or no food dyes. But don't stress too much about it. 'Not all children are sensitive to these dyes,' Alan reiterates, 'but there are some children who are very sensitive to these dyes when consumed.' As for me, I'm 100% going to stick with the vast majority of the food swaps I stocked up on in my kitchen — all those treats and pickles taste just as good without the additives. But I'll likely go back to buying the purple Tylenol.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Mar-Jac Poultry on Dirty Dozen list for safety concerns
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – Mar-Jac Poultry in Hattiesburg is once again under fire for workplace safety failures. The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health named Mar-Jac to its Dirty Dozen list for the second straight year. The group calls out companies that allegedly put workers' lives at risk by ignoring known hazards. Mar-Jac first appeared on the list in 2024 after Duvan Perez, 16, died at the Hattiesburg plant. His death marked the third fatality there in two years. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found Mar-Jac responsible for the teen's death and issued more than $200,000 in fines for more than 20 violations. Hattiesburg poultry plant settles with OSHA after teen's death In 2024, the company also faces citations for hiring six minors in Jasper, Alabama. Mar-Jac Poultry sent the following statement to WJTV 12 News. Mar-Jac Poultry prioritizes the safety of its employees above all else. For the past two years we have placed significant effort and emphasis on developing and engraining a 'Safety First' culture. This has included improving working conditions, hiring dedicated safety personnel, making substantial capital investments in safety enhancements, and significantly expanding the training and education of all employees to promote safe work practices. We have made meaningful progress toward our safety goals, including a major milestone earlier this year: 1,000,000 man-hours without a lost time incident. This accomplishment reflects the dedication of our employees and the progress we have made. To honor this achievement, we are hosting a celebration at the Hattiesburg Zoo for all employees and their families at the end of May. Mar-Jac is proud of the progress we have made and remains committed to continuous improvement to ensure the ongoing safety and wellbeing of our workforce. Mar-Jac Poultry MS, LLC Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Web Release
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Web Release
KIMPO TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH THREE EPIC NEW NIGHTS: CHIMAEK, LADIES NIGHT & BRUNCH AFTER DARK
By Editor_wr On Apr 22, 2025 Seoul's boldest flavours and party vibes hit new heights at KIMPO, where the week wraps up with back-to-back experiences that promise to keep guests buzzing all weekend long. From fried chicken feasts to glowing cocktails, it's all happening at Conrad Dubai's Korean street-food-inspired hotspot. CHIMAEK NIGHT Seoul's ultimate guilty pleasure has landed. Guests can indulge in crispy fried chicken, ice-cold beers, soju shots and pulsing DJ beats beneath KIMPO's neon glow. When: Every Thursday at 8:00pm – 12:00am Where: KIMPO, Conrad Dubai Pricing: Sharing Seoul – AED 349 A snack platter packed with Korean favourites like fried chicken pops, sweet & sour chicken, cheesy bites, crispy fries, dips and more. Guests can also indulge in 2.5L Beer Tower or 10 Selected Beers & a Bottle of Soju. Everseoul Combo – AED 299 Guests can enjoy 10 pcs Fried Chicken (Strips, Drums or Wings) along with 2L Beer Tower & a Bottle of Soju. SIP & SLAY: LADIES NIGHT Neon lights and irresistible deals. Whether guests arrive with their squad or ride the wave solo, SIP & SLAY is flipping the script on the classic Ladies Night experience. When: Every Friday from 8:00pm – 1:00am Where: KIMPO, Conrad Dubai Pricing: For ladies, the price stands at AED 99 per person (3 Drinks & 1 Bar Bite to kickstart your Friday night) For gents, the price stands at AED 199 BRUNCH AFTER DARK When the sun goes down, the energy rises at KIMPO. Party goers are invited to experience a high-octane Saturday night brunch featuring bottomless drinks, Korean street food and beats by DJ Dirty Dozen (known for electrifying high-energy sets). It's more than just dinner — it's a dance floor-ready party. When: Every Saturday from 8:00pm – 2:00am (2-hour experience) For more information, visit or email on [email protected] . Follow Conrad Dubai on and Prev Post UAE Approves AI Plan To Develop Smarter Laws
